STATEMENT: CAP Economist Adam Hersh on July Jobs Report

Washington, D.C. — Today Center for American Progress Economist Adam Hersh issued the following reaction to the announcement of July’s employment figures:

The U.S. job market appears to be stuck in the slow lane. Despite the modest gains in this report, we’re still not moving fast enough to repair the unemployment hole or to deliver a pay raise for the majority of workers in America. Let’s be clear: We’re not stuck here because of economic forces of nature, but rather because the Republican-controlled House of Representatives’ leadership is riding the brakes. They could choose to speed up our economy today by restoring funding for public services and investments cut since March by the sequester, which would add nearly 1 million additional new jobs over the next year. We can no longer ignore that our fiscal outlook has changed and we need growth in our economy, not more cuts, to create jobs.

To speak with an expert on this topic, contact Chelsea Kiene at ckiene@americanprogress.org or 202.478.5328.